CAMS Therapy – Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality

A compassionate, evidence-based framework for suicide-specific care

What Is CAMS?

The Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) is an evidence-based, therapeutic framework designed specifically for treating individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Developed by Dr. David A. Jobes, CAMS is collaborative, person-centered, and non-pathologizing, offering a structured approach to reduce suicidal suffering while building trust and motivation in treatment.

Unlike traditional risk-management models that may rely on hospitalization or coercion, CAMS centers the client as an active partner in treatment. This approach focuses not just on symptom reduction, but on understanding and resolving the underlying causes (called “drivers”) of suicidality.

Core Features of CAMS

1. Collaborative, Not Coercive
   CAMS views the client as a partner, not a problem. The therapeutic relationship is transparent and non-judgmental, avoiding the adversarial dynamic often found in crisis intervention.

2. Use of the Suicide Status Form (SSF)
   Treatment is guided by the Suicide Status Form, a structured clinical tool that supports real-time assessment, safety planning, treatment goals, and outcome tracking. The SSF helps both client and clinician stay focused on suicide-specific issues.

3. Focus on “Drivers” of Suicidality
   CAMS aims to identify and directly treat the psychological pain or functional problems (e.g., unresolved trauma, isolation, hopelessness, shame) that fuel suicidal ideation, rather than just addressing symptoms like depression or anxiety in isolation.

4. Flexible and Adaptable
   CAMS can be integrated into various settings—outpatient, inpatient, emergency, school-based, and telehealth—and is compatible with different therapeutic modalities (e.g., CBT, DBT, psychodynamic therapy).

How CAMS Works

CAMS is typically structured around a multi-session process that includes:

1. Initial Session

• The clinician and client complete the Suicide Status Form, which assesses current suicidal thoughts, intent, reasons for living and dying, and other key dimensions.

• Together, they develop a stabilization plan and identify the drivers of distress.

2. Ongoing CAMS Sessions

• Each session includes updated SSF ratings and discussion of suicidal risk and progress.

• Therapeutic work focuses on resolving the client’s specific drivers of suicidality.

• Treatment continues until the client reports significant reduction or elimination of suicidal thoughts and increased coping skills.

3. Discharge / Transition

• Once suicidality is reduced and drivers are addressed, the clinician and client collaboratively plan a transition to non-CAMS treatment (if needed), focusing on long-term mental health goals.

Effectiveness and Research

CAMS is supported by over 40 years of clinical research, including:

• 11 clinical trials

• 7 randomized controlled trials (RCTs)

• 2 meta-analyses

These studies show that CAMS:

• Significantly reduces suicidal ideation and behavior

• Improves treatment engagement and therapeutic alliance

• Outperforms treatment as usual (TAU) in several trials

• Is safe and effective across diverse populations (youth, adults, veterans, students)

It is recognized by key organizations, including the CDC, The Joint Commission, Zero Suicide Initiative, and is referenced in the 2024 National Suicide Prevention Strategy.

Who Can Benefit from CAMS?

CAMS is appropriate for:

• Individuals experiencing acute or chronic suicidal thoughts

• Clients with a history of suicide attempts

• People who feel ambivalent about life but are open to treatment

• Individuals not responding to traditional therapy focused on underlying diagnoses alone

CAMS is not only for people in immediate crisis—it can also be used preventively to address emerging suicidal ideation.

Benefits of CAMS

• Builds hope, trust, and engagement

• Targets suicidality directly rather than treating it as a symptom of another condition

• Improves outcomes even in clients with complex diagnoses (e.g., PTSD, borderline personality disorder)

• Shortens hospital stays and reduces emergency department utilization

• Honors the client’s autonomy and dignity throughout care